George  Washington  Flowers 
Memorial  Collection 

DUKE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 

ESTABLISHED  BY  THE 
FAMILY  OF 
COLONEL  FLOWERS 


iSKETCil 


OF  A 


SERMON, 

DELI'VERED  BEFORE  THE 


\  NORTH  CAROLINA  BIBLE  SOCIETY, 


TVT, 

a 


AT  ITS  ANNIVERSARY, 


IN  THE  CITY  OF  RALEIGH, 


ON  SUNDAY,  THE  12TM  OF  DECEMBER,  1841, 


BY  CHARLES  M.  F.  DEEMS, 

OF  THE  AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY. 


RALEIGH: 

PRINTED  BY    WESTON  R.  GALES,    AT  THE  RALEIGH  REGISTER  OFFICE. 


'}<"':<":<""iC: 


18  4  1. 


S  E  M  M  O  N  5 


DELIVERED  BEFORE  THE 

NORTH  CAROLINA  BIBLE  SOCIETY, 


IN  THE  CITY  OF  RALEIGH 


OXSUNDAY^THE  12th  OF  DEC  EMEER,  184  1'. 


BY  CHARLES  M.  F.  DEEMS, 

AGE>'T  OF  THE  AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY, 


RALEIGH: 

PRINTED  SY    WESTON  R.  GALES,    AT  THE  RALEIGH  REGISFER  OFnCE, 


1  8   i  1  . 


At  a  meeiirtg  of  the  North  Carolina  Bible  Societt,  a  motion  -vvas 
wiade?bj  Mr.  Johx  Primrose,  seconded  and  amended  by  the  Hon.  Judge 
Cameron,  that  the  thanks  of  the  Society  be  returned  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Deems,. 
for  the  Sermon  deUvered  belore  them  on  the  previous  Sunday,  and  that  he  be 
respectfully  requested  to  furnish  a  copy  for  publication,  under  the  direction  of 
the  Board  of  Managers.  To  attend  to  this  business,  the  Board  appointed  tha 
Subscribers. 

NELSON  B.  HUGHES,  ) 

RUFFIN  TUCKER,       C  Committee. 

WESTON  R.  GALES,  ) 


NOTE  BY  THE  AUTHOR. 

The  Anniversary  Discourse  was  delivered  from  very  elight  not««,  and  th3 
whole  of  the  following  Sermon  was  written  in  the  interval  of  business,- sevaral 
days  after.  Of  course  the  language  could  not  be  retained,  and  the  author  iS' 
oonseious  that  several  illustrations  used  on  ''the  occasion  have  passed  from  his 
mind.  Some  points,  too,  are  more  nearly  developed  in  the  written  than  they 
were  in  the  spoken  Discourse.  These  remarks  are  thought  to  be  due  to  thoso- 
wko  heard  the  Sermon,  and  who  may  kindly  peruse  this- Pamphlet. 


THE  FLOWERS  COILECTUWI 


SERMON. 


"  The  word  of  God  is  quick  and  powerful.*^ 

Hebrews,  iv,  12. 

This  blessed  Book,  which  we  have  adopted  as  the  rule  of 
our  faith  and  practice,  is  known  among  us  by  different  names. 
We  call  it  the  Bible,  as  being  pre-eminently  the  most  valu- 
able of  all  books ;  and  we  call  it  the  Sacred  Scriptures, 
because  it  contains  what  we  believe  to  be  the  writings  of 
Holy  men  of  old,  who  were  inspired  from  on  high.  In  the 
text  before  us  it  is  called  the  Word  of  God,  as  coming 
immediately  from  the  mouth  of  the  great  Creator.  And  that 
this  volume  is  not  the  production  of  unaided  human  intellect, 
but  has  come  from  the  great  Spirit,  is  a  proposition  which 
we  not  only  most  heartily  adopt,  but  it  is  the  fundamental 
article  of  Christian  faith,  upon  which  we  build  all  our  hopes 
of  happiness  in  the  world  beyond  the  tomb. 

As  believers  in  the  genuineness  and  Divine  ai^thority  of 
the  Bible,  we  cannot  see  that  it  requires  any  unnatural  effort 
of  the  mind,  to  perceive  and  believe  that  it  is  possible  and 
probable  that  He  who  has  given  us  bodies  and  spirits,  and 
established  the  mystic  union  between  mind  and  matter, 
should  make  a  revelation  of  his  nature  and  will  to  the 
creatures  whom  He  has  otherwise  so  abundantly  favored. 
Few  are  so  far  gone  into  the  mists  of  error  as  to  deny  that 
there  is  some  great  First  Cause ;  for  Scepticism  herself,  as 
she  stands  before  the  magnificent  temple  of  Nature,  must 
silently  commune  with  thoughts  of  the  glorious  Architect; 
and  when  she  penetrates  the  Holiest  of  Holies  of  intellect, 
she  IS  awed  into  religious  silence,  under  an  almost  oppressive 
conception  of  the  unfathomed  resources  of  the  Omnipotent 
Original  Mind.  How,  then,  shall  we  dare  to  question 
whether  it  is  possible  for  that  great  First  Cause  to  make  any 
impressions  upon  the  spirit  which  sprung  from  his  own  ? 


4 


If  he  has  created  matter  and  modified  it  into  a  myriad  of 
combinations,  and  is  able  still  to  operate  upon  it,  and  even 
to  annihilate  it ;  if  that  intangible  agent,  the  mind,  has 
obtained  all  its  endowments  from  the  Creator,  who  shall  say 
that  it  may  not  receive  any  impressions  from  his  spirit  ? 

Is  it  not  probable,  too,  that  God — or  call  the  author  of 
Life  by  whatever  name  you  please — would  make  a  revelation 
to  his  creatures  ?  Hush  the  voice  of  the  Bible  and  the  Priest, 
and  listen  to  the  speakings  of  Nature.  She  tells  us  that  on 
all  her  broad  bosom  she  bears  not  an  irrational  creature  which 
is  born  to  pains,  and  which  has  a  longing  unsatisfied.  She 
tells  us  that  He  who  gave  them  desires  has  prepared  abun- 
dantly for  their  gratification.  Let  us  then  look  in  upon 
ourselves.  Each  one  of  us  finds  himself  to  be  a  singular  and 
incomprehensible  union  of  substances  we  call  matter  and 
mind.  The  peculiar  conformation  of  tlie  former,  we  call 
Z)Of/y,and  find  in  the  ample  store-house  of  Nature  a  provision 
for  all  the  wants  of  this  body  by  Him  who  created  it.  The 
mind,  a  more  subtile  production  of  this  great  First  Cause, 
has  as  many  desires  as  the  body  upon  which  it  operates,  and 
these  desires  are  far  more  refined  than  the  appetites  of  the 
body  which  it  inhabits.  Now,  if  the  Author  of  all  has  made 
a  full  preparation  for  the  satisfaction  of  the  body,  can  it  be 
thought  that  He  would  purposely  or  inadvertently  overlook 
the  wants  of  the  mind?  Such  an  assertion  would  be  a  libel 
upon  Him  who  has  made  in  mind,  what  He  has  not  in  matter, 
a  resemblance  of  Himself.  Among  other  things  we  find  that 
the  spirit  within  us  has  an  anxious  craving, — we  cannot  say 
that  it  is  unlawful, — to  know  its  origin  and  its  destiny. 
When  it  has  tested  the  extent  of  its  powers,  it  feels  that  it 
could  never  have  come  into  existence  of  its  own  accord,  and 
that  the  source  of  its  existence  must  be  than  itself  inconceiv- 
ably far  more  powerful  and  glorious.  When  it  looks  into 
the  future,  it  can  see  nothing  in  the  dissolution  which  it  finds 
must  take  place  between  it  and  the  body,  to  suspend  or  de- 
stroy its  own  existence.  Beyond  that  hour  of  dissolution, 
what  shall  be  its  abode  and  its  company,  its  powers  and  it{% 
employments,  arc  (iuestioni;  which  become  unspeakably  im- 


5 


poriant.  In  vain  does  it  seek  a  reply  from  Nature's  thousand 
voices,  and  it  turns  its  anxious  eye  to  its  Autlior  to  know 
these  things  which  so  relate  to  itself.  But,  who  and  what  is 
that  Author?  And  the  profound  stillness  of  the  Universe, 
when  the  soul  proposes  the  solemn  question,  settles  upon  it 
with  a  most  oppressive  heaviness.  Can  it  be  possible  that 
He  has  spread  the  splendid  firmament  above  us,  and  painted 
the  rich  scenery  of  earth  around  us,  to  give  us  indubitable 
proof  that  He  exists,  and  then  retire  behind  the  veil  which 
we  cannot  pierce,  to  enjoy  the  malignant  pleasure  of  behold- 
ing His  creatures  groping  after  Him  until  they  fall  into  the 
pit  of  the  grave  ?  If  He  thought  it  not  trifling  to  create  us. 
Oh!  would  it  be  condescending  too  m.ich  to  reveal  Himself, 
in  part  at  least,  that  the  awful  suspense  of  our  spiritual  igno- 
rance might  be  removed  ?  From  the  little  we  beliold  of  Him 
in  the  works  of  His  hands,  especially  in  our  bodies  and  spir- 
its, we  conclude  that  there  is  the  strongest  probability  that 
the  Author  of  Life  and  of  the  Universe  would  instruct  His 
children. 

And  now,  v/ith  this  probability  strengthening  upon  it, 
where  shall  the  human  mind  turn  to  find  this  revelation  ? 
It  is  not  upon  the  page  of  Nature,  for  that  has  been  studied 
in  vain.  And  of  the  many  theories  which  have  been  pre- 
sented, each  has  in  its  turn  been  discarded  as  unsatisfactory. 
The  Bible  is  now  presented  v/ith  its  high  claims  to  a  divine 
origin,  and  the  human  miind  is  called  upon  to  render  a  ver- 
dict in  favor  of  this  volume,  as  being  a  production  of  infinite 
mind.  Its  defenders  say  that  it  brings  more  external  and 
internal  evidence  of  its  genuineness  and  authenticit}^,  than 
any  other  book  in  existence.  They  say  that  it  contains  all 
that  it  is  necessary  for  us  to  know  concerning  the  nature  of 
the  Creative  Cause,  of  ourselves,  our  duties  and  our  destiny. 
They  claim  for  it  a  character  of  trutht\ilness  without  the 
slightest  mixture  of  error  ;  and  challenge  for  it  an  examina- 
tion by  the  light  of  all  learning  and  the  scrutiny  of  the 
severest  tests. 

That  this  book  is  "  the  word  of  God,''  all  Christians  firm- 
ly believe.    To  review  the  many  powerful  arguments  which 


•sanctified  learning  has  brought  to  its  support,  would  be  a  task 
%vhich  would  as  far  exceed  the  ability  of  the  present  speaker, 
as  it  would  be  inappropriate  to  ihis  occasion.  We  cannot 
forbear,  however,  alkding  to  one  of  its  internal  arguments, 
which  alone,  we  think,  would  he  sufficient  to  commend  it  to 
■every  heart  sincerely  seeking  after  truth.  It  is,  that  doctrines 
necessary  to  the  salvation  of  our  immortal  souls,  which  could 
not  possibly  have  been  discovered  by  unaided  human  intellect, 
arc  clearly  and  satisfactorily  developed  in  the  Bible.  It  is  a 
truth  not  only  asserted  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  but  corrobo- 
a-ated  by  the  bi-story  of  mind  that  "  tlie  world  by  wisdom 
knew  not  God."  Take  the  theories  concerning  the  Deity 
whicli  arc  the  offspring  of  the  most  gifted  minds  in  those 
sges  which  had  all  the  light  that  possibly  could  be  possessed 
without  the  Bible,  and  we  find  that  they  represent  God  as  a 
J5eing  who,  with  all  the  greatness  with  which  they  clothe 
Ilim,  is  only  an  Almighty  monster.  If  thus  the  great  have 
conceived  him  to  be,  what  can  we  expect  to  be  the  ideas  of 
the  vulgar  ?  The  mass  have  made  him  a  detestable  wretch, 
superior  to  themselves  only  in  his  greater  ability  to  indulge 
more  frightful  lusts.  But  the  Bible  gives  us  a  yiew  of  His 
nature,  which  is  as  sublime  as  it  is  consoling.  A  secret 
prompting  of  his  heart  told  man  that  he  must  appease  God, 
because  he  was  sinful, and  vv^as  exposed  to  punishment.  But 
the  world's  wise  men  could  not  tell  him  whore  he  might  be 
cleansed  of  his  moral  defilement,  they  could  not  devise  any 
manner  of  mediation  between  him  and  his  God,  they  could 
propagate  no  plan  of  salvation  wliich  would  suit  all  souls, 
ynder  all  circumstances,  to  the  end  of  all  time.  This  the 
Bible  does  !  It  reveals  a  God  whose  attributes  of  justice  and 
mercy,  both  infinite,  kiss  oacii  otlier  upon  a  platform  which 
His  right  arm  has  thrown  up,  in  the  presence  of  the  Universe, 
for  the  salvation  of  a  world.  The  mightiest  human  intellect 
may  ponder  upon  the  sublimity  of  this  plan  for  ages,  and 
rise  from  the  stud}'  with  expanded  powers.  It  must  be  from 
the  Creator  of  all — the  book  which  developes  such  glorious 
<:loctrines  !  As  Christians,  we  so  receive  it,  and  present  the 
Bible  to  the  world,  saying,    Here  is  the  Word  of  God  !" 


1 


Of  this  book,  the  passage  of  Scripture  before  us  says,  it  is 
I  wing  Viud  powe7ifnl' 

I.  As  our  God  is  living,  and  is  the  fountain  of  all  life,  and 
the  source  of  all  existence,  we  may  reasonably  expect  that 
the  words  which  proceed  out  of  his  mouth  shall  have  all  the 
elements  of  life.  Not  like  the  sound  v/hich  is  given  from 
an  inanimate  thing  when  a  master  hand  touches  it  cminingly, 
it  has  the  tone  of  life  upon  it. 

The  Word  of  God  is  living  light.  "  The  entrance  of 
Thy  word  givetb  light,'^  is  an  exclamation  of  the  Psalmist, 
verified  in  the  world  by  innu-merable  examples.  Apart  from; 
the  teachings  of  the  Bible,  how  dai'kencd  is  the  human  mind  ! 
It  is  true,  that  in  Christian  lands  many  men  do  seem  to  be 
possessed  of  expanded  powers  of  mind,  who- never  read  the 
Bible,  and  who  have  never  been  accustomed  even  in  child- 
hood to  its  teachings  ;  but  their  light  is  only  the  reflection  of 
that  which  glows  all  around  them  in  society.  A  conversation 
with  such  men  wouW  soon  discover  their  spiritual  darkness,, 
as-  there  is  many  a  Nicodemus  who  is  celebrated  for  his- 
learning  in  the  v^orld,  and  yet  not  able  to  comprehend  the^ 
simplest  doctrine  taught  in  the  school  of  Christ.  An  ac- 
quaintance with  general  literature,  a  faiPiiliarity  with  the- 
circle  oi  the  sciences,  a  close-study  of  the  arts,  will  not  supply 
the  lack  of  a  devoted  perusal  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures.  The 
chamber  of  the  mind  may  be  well  furnished  with  the  rich 
tapestry  of  varied  learning,  c>nd  the  graceful  statuary  of  polite- 
letters,  but  unless  the  living  light  of  "  the  word  of  God'^ 
shall  illuminate  it,  its  elegant  adornment  will  be  useless* 
The  light  of  truth  adds  a  charm  to  all  beauty. 

Again  :  We  very  frequently  find  men  in  the  lowest  walks- 
of  life,  on  whose  powers  the  incubus  of  poverty  has  ever 
pressed,  who  never  had  the  polish  which  mingling  with  the- 
intellectual  imparts,  but  vAio  have  been  converted  to  God  by 
his  Holy  SpIHt,  and  have  thenceforth  given  attention  to  the 
study  of  his  word.  How  perceptible  is  the  change  which  is- 
produced  upon  their  minds  !  In  a  short  time  we  find  them 
.speaking  understandingly  of  those  things  of  which-we  thoughb 
thein  pFofouudly  ignorant:    And  why  is  this  ?  Because. Ihc^/r 


Iiave  stiulled  the  word  of  God,  and  It  has  turned  their  minds 
in  upon  themselves,  and  they  liave  become  deeply  interested 
in  the  sublime  doctrines  of  the  Bible.  Their  minds  are  now 
more  ready  to  receive  instruction  in  secular  learning,  and 
they  have  become  theologians  and  metaphysicians  at  the  same 
time.    "  It  giveth  understanding  to  the  simple." 

Let  the  Bible,  the  word  of  God,"  be  taken  to  a  heathen 
in  his  ovvn  language.  It  finds  him  in  the  veriest  darkness? 
deceiving  himself  with  the  illusion  that  all  around  him  is 
light.  But  the  living  light  of  tlie  word  of  God  plays  on  the 
image  before  which  he  is  bowed  in  his  degrading  worship, 
and  he  beholds  all  its  horrid  deformity.  He  turns  from  his 
Deity  wilh  disgust,  and  is  driven  out  a  godless  wretch. 
The  ligiit  enters  his  mind,  and  discovers  to  him  the  filthy 
figures  which  crowd  his  imagination  ;  it  pierces  into  the  heart 
and  reveals  its  moral  defilement  and  loathsome  leprosy. 
This  living  light  points  him  to  the  sword  of  justice  gleaming 
from  the  dark  cloud  of  the  true  God's  indignation  against  sin, 
and  he  is  ready  to  sink  into  despair.  But  a  concentration  of 
all  the  light  of  this  wondrous  book  arrests  his  sinking  mind, 
and  with  trembling  he  follows  its  brightness  until  it  mantles 
the  cross  of  Calvary.  There  he  beholds  the  Lamb  of  God 
Vv^hich  taketh  away  the  sins  of  tlie  word."  The  pitying 
glance  of  that  eye  in  death's  agony  melts  his  heart ;  the  blood 
from  that  pierced  side  sprinkles  him,  and  lo!  he  is  more 
spotless  than  infant  purity !  Vv'ith  this  "word  of  God"  in 
his  hand,  he  joyfully  pursues  life's  rugged  way,  for  he  beholds 
his  path  growing  brighter  and  brighter  unto  the  perfect  day. 

But  the  word  of  God"  is  also  living  seed.  Deposited  in 
the  heart,  as  it  often  is,  by  some  unseen  agency,  it  germinates 
and  brings  forth  righteousness  and  bliss.  The  living  preacher 
is  he  whom  God  hath  appointed  to  sow  this  good  seed,  and 
the  field  is  the  world.  And  how  often  does  the  minister  go 
to  the  performance  of  his  public  duty  with  a  heart  weighed 
down  Vv'itli  some  of  earth's  cares  or  sorrows  ;  how  often  does 
he  retire  from  the  altar  to  his  private  chamber,  feeling  that 
he  is  an  exceedingly  profitless  servant !  And  yet  that  very 
di-couriC  which  may  seem  to  him  a  failure;  may  be  blessed 


9 


of  the  Lord  to  the  salvation  of  some  soul.  God  does  not 
always  show  the  spiritual  husbandman  the  first  quickeiHiig 
of  the  seed  he  sows.  Let  this  consolation  sustain  those  of 
us  who  minister  in  holy  things,  for  "  in  due  time  we  shall 
reap  if  we  faint  not."  At  the  family  altar,  as  well  as  in  the 
sanctuary,  the  good  seed  is  planted.  How  often  does  the 
Spirit  of  God  bless  the  reading  of  the  sacred  Scriptures  in 
families  !  Fathers,  Mothers,  heads  of  families,  fail  not  daily 
to  gather  your  little  ones  to  the  reading  of  God's  holy  word; 
and  if  they  seem  thoughtless  be  not  discouraged,  for  the  liv- 
ing seed  is  silently  falling  upon  the  fallow  ground.  Many 
a  winter's  snow  may  come,  but  as  surely  as  the  God  of  the 
sun  and  rain  exists  it  shall  survive.  The  voice  of  the  moth- 
er will  be  remembered,  when  all  else  connected  with  child- 
hood shall  be  forgotten.  It  is  the  last  music  which  dies  out 
of  a  boy's  heart.  Passages  of  "  the  word  of  God''  in  the 
mother's  tone  will  often  ring  upon  the  heart  of  the  man  when 
wrinkles  and  furrows  are  on  his  time-worn  visage.  Words 
of  instruction  and  consolation,  and  powerful  appeals  from 
the  Ho]y  Scriptures,  breathed  upon  his  mind  in  earlier  days 
at  the  family  altar,  but  lost  in  the  lapse  of  time,  will  come 
meltingly  upon  the  3'oung  wanderer's  heart,  when  the  thou- 
sand mouths  of  the  Ocean  shall  yawn  to  swallow  him,  and  the 
storm-spirit  pour  its  unearthly  shriek  upon  his  ears.  In 
these  instances,  and  they  are  numerous,  we  find  a  fulfilment 
of  the  prophecy,  For  as  the  rain  cometh  down,  and  the 
snow  from  heaven,  and  returneth  not  thither,  but  watereth 
the  earth,  and  maketh  it  bring  forth  and  bud,  that  it  may  give 
seed  to  the  sower,  and  bread  to  the  eater  ;  so  shall  my  word 
be  that  goeth  forth  out  of  my  mouth  ;  it  shall  not  return  un- 
to me  void,  but  it  shall  accomplish  that  which  I  please,  and 
it  shall  prosper  in  the  thing  whereto  I  sent  it.'^ 

"  The  word  of  God  is  living  /"  Contrasted  with  it,  all 
other  religious  theories  are  lifeless,  all  philosophy  is  dead. 
Let  the  Natural  Religionist  read  the  page  of  that  volume, 
which  he  thinks  tells  all  that  the  immortal  spirit  needs  to 
know,  and  if  he  find  a  reply  it  will  tell  him  that  there  is  a 
a  Mighty  Spirit  in  the  Universe.    But  of  the  character  of 


10 


that  Being  its  teachings  will  be  ambiguous,  for  while  it  has 
lessons  of  his  love  of  beauty  written  with  the  pencils  of  light 
on  the  graceful  flower  ;  and  speaks  of  his  love  of  grandeur  on 
the  rocky  tablet  of  the  immense  mountain,  on  the  glorious 
scroll  of  the  firmament,  and  on  the  unmeasured  undulating 
face  of  the  ocean — it  reveals  his  terrible  might  in  the  volca- 
no, the  conOagration,  the  tempest,  and  the  deluge.  And  what 
are  the  re.sponses  of  the  oracle  of  the  heaihen  ?  With 
a  heart  burdened  with  unspeakably  interesting  questions,  he 
rushes  into  the  temple  and  presence  of  his  idol.  Tell  me, 
oh,  tell  me  !  he  cries, — what  and  where  the  Great  Spirit  is  ? 
And  what  am  I  ?  and  whither  bound  as  carried  down  this 
rushing  str  eam  of  life  ?  Beyond  tlie  portentous  clouds  which 
I  see  settling  most  heavilv  before  me,  are  there  torments  or 
is  there  bliss  ?  Does  an  eternal  sunlight  play  on  the  blessed 
islands  in  that  veiled  state,  or  do  thunders  and  lightningsand 
a  horrible  tempest  empty  their  furies  on  the  ruined  soul  ? 
Oh,  when,  this  tiresome  strife  of  present  existence  shall  close, 
shall  I  have  seen  but  the  beginning  of  sorrows  ?  Is  not  the 
great  Spirit  lovely,  and  will  he  not  save  me  ? — The  God  is 
silent,  the  oracle  is  dumb!  The  Priest  who  conducts  the  unhal- 
lowed service  of  its  damning  rites  points  the  enquiring  wretch  to 
the  instrument  of  torture,  to  blasted  hopes,  to  the  hearts's  finer 
feelings  crushed,  to  a  dark  grave  and  to  a  hopeless  hereafter. 

It  is  not  so  with  the  word  of  our  God,  it  is  quick  and  life- 
giving.  As  when  the  Incarnation  of  that  Word  stood  at  the 
grave  of  Lazarus  and  commanded  the  buried  one  to  come 
forth,  so  "the  word  of  God"  now  speaks  to  the  soul  which 
is  dead  in  trespasses  and  in  sins,  and  lo !  the  thrill  of  life 
shoots  through  its  faculties.  And  when  the  enquiring  spirit 
asks  of  this  our  oracle  it  finds  a  ready  and  most  satisfactory 
answer.  Every  objection  is  anticipated,  every  fear  removed^ 
every  trouble  soothed,  every  wound  gently  bound  up.  The 
living  Word  speaks  to  the  soul  and  bids  it  be  happy,  even 
in  this  world.  It  tells  the  Spirit  that  God  is  love,  that  eve- 
ry provision  is  made  for  its  wants,  that  in  this  matchless 
mercy  and  unfathomed  wisdom,  He  has  satisfied  the  de- 
mands of  justice  and  efiected  its  emancipation.    It  speaks  to 


11 


the  Spirit  and  its  chains  fall  off,  and  in  the  majesty  of  truth, 
in  the  strength  of  freedom,  and  in  the  light  of  love,  it  treads 
the  temple  of  that  God,  whose  living  word  reveals  the  high 
and  holy  destiny  which  awaits  it.  It  beholds  in  all  things 
of  beauty  around  it  the  developement  of  that  undying  love 
which  watches  all  its  paths,  and  which  is  preparing  for  it  be- 
yond the  tomb  a  more  glorious  habitation.  For  not  only 
does  this  word  impart  a  spiritual  life  here,  but  it  reveals  to 
the  soul  the  state  of  unceasing  and  blissful  existence  in  the 
world  which  is  to  come,  ani  informs  the  Christian  that  he  is 
now  only  upon  the  lowest  step  of  that  sublime  pyramid  of 
life  which  he  shall  be  everlastingly  ascending,  whose  sum- 
mit is  lost  in  the  inconceivably  intense  brightness  of  JEHO- 
VAH'S peerless  glory. 

And  this  word  of  God,  so  living  and  life-giving  must  re- 
main forever.  It  bears  in  itself  the  elements  of  indestructi- 
ble existence.  Heaven  and  earth  may  pass  away,  but  it  shall 
not  be  shaken ;  for  the  throne  of  the  Eternal  must  fall  and 
the  light  of  all  life  expire,  before  the  words  which  he  speaks 
shall  fail.  And  here  the  Christian  stands,  planting  his  feet 
upon  the  Rock  of  Ages,  while  he  defies  the  tempest  to  rob 
him  of  his  immortality,  or  shake  his  trust  in  God.  Truly, 
the  word  of  God  is  living. 

II.  The  second  characteristic  of  the  word  of  God,  is  that  it  is 
poiverful.  When  that  word  went  out  at  creation  it  travers- 
ed the  ocean  of  chaos  and  startled  myriads  of  worlds  into  ex- 
istence. When  that  Word  appeared  on  earth  in  the  flesh  it 
was  a  power  which  suspended  the  laws  of  nature,  working 
astonishing  miracles  and  destroying  the  power  of  sin.  That 
Word,  as  written  out  in  a  volume,  is  powerful,  ,even  "  th^ 
power  of  God  unto  salvation." 

The  effect  which  the  perusal  of  the  Sacred  Scriptusres  has 
upon  a  man  is  very  different  from  the  study  of  any  human 
composition.  There  is  nothing  in  the  writings  of  the  learn- 
ed, in  the  theories  of  philosophers,  to  change  a  man's  entire 
nature.  Even  those  who  have  been  the  authors  of  the  best 
moral  precepts  have  frequently  been  most  wretched  exem- 
plars in  practice.    But  the  Bible,  having  been  wri,tten  by  the 


all-wise  God,  through  his  amanuenses,  holy  inspired  men,  is  sO 
perfectly  adapted  to  every  circumstance  under  which  every 
man  is  placed,  that  it  exercises  a  power  over  the  human 
mind  and  heart  which  nothing  else  possesses.  An  arm  of 
Omnipotence  as  it  is,  it  beats  down  the  bulwarks  of  pride 
and  unbelief,  bursts  open  the  doors  of  the  heart,  seizes  the 
lion  in  his  fury  and  binds  him  with  fetters  of  adamant.  It 
leaps  from  heaven,  a  blessed  preserver,  into  the  torrent  of 
sin  on  which  the  soul  of  man  is  borne  to  destruction,  rolls 
back  the  tide  of  nature,  brings  him  up  from  the  fearful  abyss 
and  places  him  on  an  eminence  from  which  he  can  behold 
his  former  danger  and  adore  his  Redeemer. 

The  word  of  God  by  enlightening  the  intellect  has  given 
man  the  ability  to  see  the  way  which  leadeth  to  God  through 
Jesus  Christ.  At  the  foot  of  the  mercy  seat  he  hath  been 
pardoned,  at  the  foot  of  the  Cross  he  hath  been  cleansed. 
With  his  mind  purified,  his  affections  hallowed,  his  soul  sanc- 
tified, the  man  hath  become  a  benefactor.  He  takes  no  lon- 
ger any  pleasure  in  living  simply  for  himself.  His  mind  is 
now  lifted  from  its  filth  and  degradation  and  gathers  percep- 
tion of  harmony  and  beauty.  Here  we  have  the  foundation 
of  the  Arts  and  Sciences  which  adorn  life  and  administer 
more  refined  pleasures  to  the  immortal  spirit.  It  is  be- 
cause the  Word  of  God  is  in  your  midst,  that  your  houses 
are  palaces  and  your  meals  banquets.  As  the  intellect  in- 
creases in  its  elevation  it  gathers  clearer  ideas  of  relations, 
and  the  Word  of  God  furnishes  all  necessary  standards  of 
judgment  in  these  cases.  The  husband  learns  to  use  his  su- 
periority as  not  abusing  it,  and  the  wife  submits  to  the  hus- 
band, not  as  to  a  master,  but  as  to  a  stronger  companion;  not 
as  a  degradation,  but  as  a  relief  and  a  pleasure.  The  parent 
learns  to  value  his  child,  not  as  a  slave  to  his  caprice,  but  as 
a  stream  of  intellect  which  he  has  the  ability  to  direct  for  its 
own  endless  happiness  and  the  benefit  of  a  world.  The  child 
is  now  bound  to  the  parent,  not  by  a  feeling  of  servile  fear, 
not  by  a  tie  which  weakens  as  the  parentgrows  helpless  with 
age,  and  breaks  when  he  becomes  a  burden,  but  a  love  v/hich 
i§  respectful  when  the  parent  is  at  the  fullness  of  his  matu- 


IS 


rily  and  becomes  more  lender  and  refined  as  the  infirmities 
of  years  press  him  down.  Having  thus  given  to  man  a  code 
of  morals  to  govern  a  family,  the  observance  of  which  will 
be  crowned  with  domestic  bliss,  and  the  least  deviation  from 
which  will  produce  discord  and  misery,  it  leads  man  to  look 
upon  his  neighbor  as  his  brother,  and  a  member  of  the  great 
family  of  which  God  is  the  common  Father.  ^'Thou  shalt 
love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself^'  (Compare  that  one  injunction 
with  the  code  of  morals  of  heathen  philosophers.)  Thus  we 
see  the  social  compact  strengthened  by  the  holy  influence  of 
the  Bible.  But  man  has  certain  rights  to  be  guarded. 
The  Bible  clearly  sets  them  forth  in  a  tone  of  authority 
which  is  satisfactory,  rebuking  the  oppressor,  giving  strength 
to  the  oppressed  to  assert  the  truth  and  yet  restraining  him 
from  all  acts  of  unlawful  violences  We  here  find  the  power 
of  the  Bible  to  give  a  balance  to  Society  and  to  erect  a  sound 
fabric  of  Government.  The  man  changed  through  the  in- 
strumentality of  that  Word  which  is  powerful,  is  not  satis- 
fied to  have  a  proper  government  established,  and  the  arts 
and  sciences  flourishing;  his  heart,  now  a  fountain  of  good- 
ness, goes  out  towards  his  fellow  men.  This  creates  the  be- 
nevolent institutions  which  are  the  glory  of  Bible  lands.  We 
thus  see  the  influence  of  the  Word  of  God  upon  communities 
by  changing  individuals  and  giving  that  direction  to  the 
strength  of  their  heads  and  hearts  which  was  originally  in- 
tended by  the  great  Creator. 

The  joreac/iz?7^  of  "the  word  of  God,*'  how  powerful  it 
has  been  !  Before  it  the  bold  face  has  blanched  and  the  stout 
heart  quailed.  The  proud  boast  of  the  wicked  has  been  si- 
lenced, the  mockings  of  the  fool  have  been  hushed.  The 
lion  and  the  tiger  have  been  tamed,  and  the  heart  of  the 
lamb  has  been  made  powerful  for  good.  The  torrent  intel- 
lect which  was  devastating  whole  regions  of  mind  has  been 
turned  into  the  channels  of  benificence,  and  the  powers  that 
stagnated  in  indolence  have  been  sent  forth  to  irrigate  the 
waste  and  weary  land.  It  has  thrown  open  tlie  prison  doors 
and  set  the  captive  free.  It  has  poured  light  in  upon  the 
depths  of  darkness.    It  has  gone  into  the  midst  of  communi- 


14 


ties,  and  under  its  influence,  the  ignorant  have  become  wise, 
the  churl  liberal,  the  spendthrift  economical,  the  vulgar  re- 
fined, and  the  sinner  a  saint.  Like  oil  it  has  allayed  the  tu- 
multuous waves  of  strife.  It  has  dashed  down  misrule — 
trampled  upon  anarchy,  and  lifted  up  the  comely  form  of 
fainting  order.  It  has  extended  the  sceptre  of  mercy,  and 
arranged  the  scales  of  justice.  It  has  reformed'the  laws  and 
their  executor.  As  the  word  of  God  has  been  spoken  out  by 
the  lips  of  truth,  Empires  have  been  convulsed,  crowns  have 
fallen,  and  kingdoms  have  passed  aw^ay.  Its  consolations 
have  been  as  powerful  as  its  reformatory  energy.  The  wid- 
ow and  the  orphan  have  had  their  hearts  to  leap  within  them, 
and  the  fainting  traveller  over  earth's  desert  has  felt  the  gift 
of  new  life  as  this  Word  of  Power  has  called  him  to  the  wa- 
ters. Its  power  has  disrobed  Death  of  its  terrors  and  depriv- 
ed the  grave  of  its  victory  ;  and  the  weak  child  and  feeble 
woman  have  calmly  walked  down  to  their  resting  place  with 
a  holy  smile  on  their  countenances.  Even  before  the  dark- 
ness of  the  tomb  had  entirely  shrouded  them,  they  have  seen 
the  first  light  of  a  glorious  and  eternal  morning. 

It  has  been  powerful  against  the  enemies  of  God.  Every 
thing  which  human  ingenuity  and  infernal  malignity  could 
devise  have  assailed  it.  And  yet,  like  the  billow-beaten 
ocean-rock,  it  has  been  unmoved,  while  the  waves  of  opposi- 
tion have  fallen  back  into  spray,  and  the  lightnings  of  perse- 
cution havebeen  woveninto  a  diadem  of  glory  to  adorn  itssum- 
mit.  And  while  God  lives  it  z^vY/ remain — it  ivill  be  powerful. 

And  why  is  the  Bible  livijig  ^\\^  powerful  7  Because 
the  Spirit  of  the  Living  and  Almighty  God  is  in  it.  "  All 
Scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God.'^  Take  His  Holy 
Spirit  from  it,  and  it  will  be  as  lifeless  and  as  powerless  as  a 
dead  body.  If  we  could  preach  the  doctrines  of  the  Bible 
without  any  assistance  from  the  spirit  of  God,  we  should  find 
it  as  useless  as  declaiming  the  orations  of  Cicero.  Let  us, 
then,  remember,  in  our  private  study  of  the  Scriptures,  that 
we  are  not  reading  merely  the  writings  of  the  Prophets  and 
the  Apostles,  but  endeavor  to  feel  each  word  as  though  it 
were  spoken  immediately  from  the  great  God  our  Savior, 


15 


out  of  heaven  and  in  an  audible  voice.  In  our  efforts  to  sup- 
ply the  world  with  the  Bible,  let  us  keep  ever  upon  our 
hearts  the  assurance  that  we  are  not  sending  the  words  of 
worldly  wisdom,  but  "the  word  of  God  which  is  living  and 
powerful,''  and  which  will  do  good  to  the  bodies  and  souls 
of  our  fellow  men.  And  Oh  !  let  us  who  are  engaged  in  the 
hallowed  co-operation  with  the  blessed  Trinity,  take  the 
more  diligence  to  make  our  own  peace,  calling  and  election 
sure  !  If  the  gifted  and  sainted  author  of  the  text,  after 
having  seen  Christ  and  possessed  the  power  of  working  mir- 
acles, entertained  the  slightest  apprehension  lest  after  having 
preached  unto  others  he  should  himself  become  a  cast  away, 
let  us  not  be  satisfied  unless  we  feel  continually  that  God's 
living  word  is  powerful  even  unto  the  salvation  of  our  own  souls. 

And  now,  brethren  beloved,  this  sacred  gift  is  deposited  in 
our  hands  by  its  holy  Author,  to  be  dispensed  to  the  whole 
world.  It  is  a  Testament :  our  Heavenly  Father's  will.  As 
the  lines  have  fallen  to  us  in  a  pleasant  place,  and  we  have  a 
goodly  heritage,  let  us  not  forget  our  brethren  who  are  away  in 
the  darkness  of  other  lands.  What  shall  we  say  unto  God  our 
Father  in  justification  of  our  conduct  if  we  suffer  them  to  per- 
ish without  telling  them  of  our  home  in  heaven?  It  may 
cost  us  some  sacrifice,  but  let  us  keep  ever  before  our  eyes  the 
example  of  Him  "  who  though  he  was  rich  yet  for  our  sakes 
became  poor,  that  we  through  his  poverty  might  be  made  rich." 
And  "  if  God  so  loved  us  we  ought  also  to  love  one  another." 

Father,  when  you  retire  from  the  sanctuary  this  morning 
and  see  the  happy  faces  of  your  loved  little  ones  around  your 
board,  think  of  your  brother  in  heathendom  who  has  no  do- 
mestic comforts,  no  pleasant  fire-side,  no  hallowed  altar-spot. 
Christian  Mother,  let  your  mind  fly  from  this  temple  this 
hour,  to  behold  that  mother  who  is  now  committing  her  off- 
spring to  the  flames  or  to  the  waves.*  Think  not  that  that  mo- 

*  To  impress  this  remark,  the  following  anecdote  was  related:  "A  Hindoo 
woman  cast  her  child,  between  three  and  lour  years  old,  into  the  Ganges,  as  au 
offering  to  the  Goddess.  The  little  creature  made  its  way  to  a  raft  of  bamboos 
that  happened  to  be  floating  by,  and  seizing  one  end  of  it  has  drifted  along,  ciy- 
ing  to  its  unnatural  parent  for  help.  Perceiving  from  the  shore  the  dangers  of 
the  child's  escape,  she  plunged  into  the  water,  tore  away  us  hold,  broke  its  neck, 
and  hurled  its  life -warm  corse  into  the  middle  of  the  current,  by  which  it  was 
soon  drifted  out  of  sight." — Jyermari's  and  BenneWs  Journal, 


16 


ther's  heart  never  knew  woman's  feelings  !  When  she  first 
pressed  that  child  to  her  bosom  she  felt  the  rapturous  thrill  of 
a  mother's  pure,  devoted  affection.  But  the  iron  heel  of  a  ty- 
rannical religion  has  crushed  the  buds  of  her  love.  Woilld 
you  save  that  innocent?  Send  the  Bible  and  its  power  shall 
tear  down  the  temple  of  the  idol  and  erect  the  altar  of  that  Re- 
ligion whose  essence  is  love.  Lady,  robed,  jewelled,  accom- 
plished and  happy, — think  of  your  destitute  sister  in  the  dark- 
ened land  !  Less  fair,  perhaps, than  yourself, but  Oh  !  she  hath 
a  soul  as  immortal  as  your  own  !  And  if  you  leave  her  to  die 
in  her  degradation,  at  Christ's  judgment  that  she  may  thus  up- 
braid thee: — I  was  hungry, and  blind, andoppressed, and  sinful, 
and  dying ;  your  hands  held  that  which  would  have  relieved  me, 
the  tale  of  my  wo  fell  upon  your  ear,  but  with  a  profitless  word 
of  commiseration  youturned  coldly  away  to  thesound  of  the  vi- 
ol, and  the  excitement  of  the  dance — and  I  died!  How  then  can 
the  Lord  turn  uponyou  the  smiles  of  his  love,  when  he  hath  said 
thaf  if  anyman  have  notthespiritof  Christ,heisnoneof  his  ?" 

And  now,'in  behalf  of  the  North  Carolina  Bible  Society,  I 
appeal  to  this  congregation.  I  feel  a  solemnity  come  over  me 
when  an  appeal  on  behalf  of  the  cause  of  Christ  is  to  be  made 
to  an  assembly  of  Christian  people.  It  is  upon  me  now,  for 
I  know  that  for  all  I  have  said  I  must  give  an  account  ;  and 
lest  I  have  said  said  something  amiss,  lest  I  have  left  some 
appeal  untouched,  there  is  a  fear  in  n^fi^BtiAt;,,  And  when  I 
look  around  upon  you  and  know  that  God  the  Father, 
and  the  blessed  Saviour,  and  the  Holy  Sanctifier  are  here, 
that  the  Godhead  knows  the  power  of  His  own  word  and 
hears  the  thousand  cries  and  shrieks  of  a  heathen  world,  and 
that  an  account  is  to  be  taken  of  the  doings  of  a  crowded,  in- 
tellectual and  wealthy  assembly  of  Christians,  oh  !  how  can 
I  but  feel  for  the  result  ?  Remember,  my  brethren,  that  "with 
what  measure  ye  mete,  it  shall  be  measured  to  you  again." 
May  the  Great  Head  of  the  Church  speedily  send  the  light 
andhealth,  the  life  and  power  of  his  Word  to  all  nations  I  And 
let  us  remember  that  he  has  appointed  human  instrumentality 
to  accomplish  this  glorious  consummation  as  we  unite  our 
hearts  in  responding  A^ien,  and  Amen  ! 


